Coach, Consultant or Mentor, Which are you?

The Business of Coaching

There are so many coaches in the world today. When I started business coaching back in 2003 there were not many coaches and few knew how to run their business profitably. Today everywhere you turn there is a coach.

This month I will be sharing on the Business of Coaching.

I will share with you some knowledge that coaching schools do not teach you. How do I know this? Well received my coaching accreditation from the World Wide Association on Business Coached and I also taught at a coach school for a few years. I have worked with many clients along the way and have asked them if some of the things I will share with you this month were taught where they were trained as a coach and every time I have received a no. So I hope you will give yourself a gift and follow the theme this month as I share about the Business of Coaching.

Let’s first come to an understanding of how I define what coaching is and what it is not.

Coaching is about the client and what they want to accomplish. They come to you as the coach to have you help them pull out the ideas they have inside that creates the vision of where they want to go. As a coach it is your duty to ask questions (without you having their answer) that inspire them to think and bring out what it is inside them to design or create the vision they have for themselves. Your job as a coach is to ask the right questions for them to create the growth and change that they are looking for in order to bring their vision to life. Your coaching questions pull out from within your client their answers.

Consulting is about what the client needs and you as the consultant has the answer. You have the knowledge, skills, systems and history to teach the client the tools necessary to be successful. As a consultant you may have learned, experienced or become an expert in a specific area that the client is looking to grow in. This knowledge may be what you learned along the way through experience or from reading books or attending workshops. You may not have ever utilized the skill yourself but you can teach on it because you have studied it.

Mentoring is about the client learning from you what you have used in your journey to success. You have the knowledge and skill to teach your clients what it is that you have done that has created your level of success. It is your skills and knowledge that you are able to help your clients become successful more quickly than if they were trying to build business on their own. You have done it, they want to do what you have done and you are exchanging your hands on learning to them. You are teaching them your tools, tips and methods for getting to the level of success that they want to be at.

Decide what you are and then own your space in it.

At any given time while working with my clients I may ask “can I put my coaching hat on for this or can I put my mentor hat on for this.” Get your clients permission to shift and then differentiate the hat you are wearing with your client. This helps to clear up any blurred lines and really does help to bring professionalism to the coaching industry.

PS: If you are working with a client to overcome something that has happened to them in the past, you are treading on therapy and/or counseling. You are not licensed to do this! You must have a license to aid someone on past emotional baggage and if you are not licensed then you can get into serious trouble! Leave that to the licensed professionals. Refer them out and let them know you would be happy to work with them on things to help move them forward into the future.

Author: Kimberley Borgens was married at 18, a mother at 19, and divorced at 20, she has journeyed from being a single mom on welfare to recognizing her strengths, fighting for what she believes in, and successfully building 5 thriving businesses with hundreds of employees and million-dollar budgets. Kimberley is a speaker, business mentor, and coaches her clients to transform their small business into a thriving business. Kimberley is living her own legacy as she inspires and motivates women to be fearless, become more like a CEO of their business and life, and enjoy the freedom they’ve dreamed of. She knows what it’s like to start from nothing and build a strong solid business and she can help you too.

To find out how to transform your business from overwhelm to overjoyed contact us and get started on the journey.

About the Author

Kimberley Borgens was married at 18, a mother at 19, and divorced at 20, she has journeyed from being a single mom on welfare to recognizing her strengths, fighting for what she believes in, and successfully building 5 thriving businesses with hundreds of employees and million-dollar budgets. Kimberley is a speaker, business mentor, and coaches her clients to transform their small business into a thriving business. Kimberley is living her own legacy as she inspires and motivates women to be fearless, become more like a CEO of their business and life, and enjoy the freedom they've dreamed of. She knows what it's like to start from nothing and build a strong solid business and she can help you too.

With over 20 years, experience as an entrepreneur and owners of five companies she has the skill and ability to quickly and successfully quicker. Kimberley has the ability to coach, consult and train you to be the CEO of your own business. Her commitment creates tangible results through accountability and compassion. You gain skill, improve communication, maximize your time and save money.